U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,324 (the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein) shows an advantageous method for producing a business form, an intermediate for producing the business form, and a pocket containing business form so produced, that are particularly advantageous for a wide variety of purposes including as a library envelope to be inserted inside of a book. While the products and method described therein are highly advantageous, it has been found that in order to provide optimum sealing that it is necessary to provide the adhesive and along the side edges, rather than merely adjacent the side edges, of the form, and in order to provide the most cost effective arrangement and method the form should be produced more than two across, preferably four across. Also, the business form according to the present invention, in addition to acting as a library card holder, can function as a personal ID visitor pass for trade shows, and include an RFID label, can be a hotel pass key envelope, can function as a "shelf talker" in retail sales by providing adhesive on the back, may be utilized as a personalized pocket protector, or may be provided as a job ticket with variable information.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing a business form utilizing a paper like sheet or web having a predetermined width and first and second side edges, comprising: (a) Moving the web or sheet in a first direction. (b) Applying adhesive patterns to the web or sheet along the first direction adjacent but spaced from the first and second side edges, and at and along a plurality of centerlines between the first and second edges. (c) Slitting or cutting the web or sheet along the first direction at the adhesive patterns adjacent the first and second side edges and at the plurality of centerlines so that adhesive is provided on both sides of each cut or slit and to provide a plurality of forms with form side edges having adhesive at and along the form side edges. (d) If in web configuration, forming the web into a sheet. (e) Folding a sheet defining at least one form along at least one fold line substantially perpendicular to the form side edges. And (f) sealing the at least one form in folded configuration by activating the adhesive.
In the practice of the method preferably (b) is practiced by applying pressure activated cohesive, and then (f) is practiced by automatically applying pressure of at least 100 pounds per lineal inch to the forms to effect sealing. Also (f) may be practiced by steam roller sealing, rather than requiring edge rollers for sealing only at the pressure activated cohesive. The method procedures may be practiced in a wide variety of sequences as long as the desired end results are provided. Typically, however, (d), (e) and (f) are practiced prior to (c).
In a preferred embodiment (b) or (c) are practiced to provide a four forms wide web or sheet, and (c) is practiced by guillotine cutting. The method also preferably comprises imaging indicia on the web or sheet prior to (c), which may be variable indicia or non-variable indicia. When a pocket business form is to be provided, preferably (e) is practice to eccentrically Z-fold the forms about two parallel fold lines, and (b) and (e) are practiced to form a pocket.
According to another aspect of the present invention a pocket containing business form is provided comprising the following components: A single sheet of paper like material, comprising a first panel having a first length and a first width, and first and second face. A second panel having a second length and the first width, the second length being less than one half the first length, and having first and second faces which are continuous of the first and second faces of the panel. A first fold line between the first and second panels extending widthwise of the panels, the second panel folded about the first fold line so that the first face of the second panel comes into contact with the first face of the first panel, the first panel having a free portion not covered by the second panel. Indicia imaged on the free portion of the first panel. Adhesive connecting the first face of the second panel to the first face of the first panel to form a pocket capable of receiving an index card. A third panel having the second length and the first width, and having first and second faces which are continuations of the first and second faces of the first and second panels. A second fold line between the second and third panels extending widthwise of the panels, the third panel folded about the second fold line so that the second face of the third panel comes into contact with the second face of the second panel. Adhesive connecting the second faces of the second and third panels together so that they both cooperate with the first panel to form the pocket. And the sheet having side edges defining the widths of the panels, and the adhesive defined at and along the side edges for optimum securement of the panels together by the adhesive.
The adhesive connecting the panels together may further comprise adhesive adjacent the first fold line, and also adhesive adjacent the second line. Preferably the adhesive comprises pressure activated cohesive such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,464 and the art referenced therein, including U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,128. The patterns may comprise any configuration such as lines, spots, dots, bars, strips (discontinuous or continuous), or any other suitable configuration. Spaced bars or strips are preferred in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawings.
The indicia may comprise indicia indicating the due date of a library book and the pocket containing business form may be in combination with a library book with the second face of the first panel affixed to the inside cover portion of the library book with adhesive. Alternatively the indicia may be that useful for the pocket business form to function as a personal ID visitor pass, such as for trade shows or businesses, a hotel passkey envelope, a shelf talker (with adhesive on the backer), for retail stores a personalized pocket protector, or a job ticket envelope with variable information.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a business form intermediate comprising a sheet of paperlike material having first and second faces a rectangular configuration [and e.g. a length of about 11 inches], top and bottom edges, side edges, and at least one centerline between the side edges. A first fold line extending parallel to the top and bottom edges [e.g. and about 61/4 inches from the top edge]. A second fold line extending parallel to the top and bottom edges [e.g. and about 23/8 inches from the first fold line and the bottom edge]. The first fold line defining a first panel between the top edge and the first fold line, and the second fold line defining a second panel between the first and second fold lines, and a third panel between the second fold line and the bottom edge. Cooperating adhesive patterns disposed on the first face of the first panel adjacent the fold line, and on the first face of the second panel, including adjacent the side edges and the centerlines. And cooperating adhesive patterns disposed on the second faces of the second and third panels, including at and along the side edges and the centerlines for optimum securement of the panels by the adhesive.
In the business form intermediate described above the adhesive patterns may further include adhesive patterns adjacent the bottom edge. Preferably the sheet has three (or more) centerlines with adhesive disposed at and along all of the centerlines. Also, indicia is typically imaged on the first panel first face, either variable or non-variable indicia. As described above the adhesive preferably comprises pressure activated cohesive.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple and cost effective method for making a pocket containing business form having optimum sealing at the pocket, and to provide a pocket containing business form and a business form intermediate for making the business form. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from a detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.